Textile apparatus having a combined head lifter and ratch adjustment mechanism



Aug. 12,1969

Filed Aug. 17. 1967 LIFTER AND HATCH ADJUSTMENT MEGHANI S. W. KUNDRACH TEXTILE APPARATUS HAVING A COMBINED HEAD 3 Sheets-Shoot 1 FIG .4

BYZL /QQZM INVENTOR 3 TE V5 W Kl/NDRACI/ ATTORNEYS s. w. KUNDRACH TEXTILE APPARATUS HAVING A COMBINED HEAD LIFTER AND HATCH ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Aug. 12, 1969 Filed Aug. 17. 1967.

. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN 7'01? STEVE N Kl/NDPAC/l Aug. 12., 196? KUNDR'WH 3,469,205

TEXTILE APPARATUS HAVING A COMBINED HEAD LIFTER AND HATCH ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Filed Aug. 17. 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 8 W vavroe sreve w KUNDRACH United States Patent US. Cl. 19-129 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A textile apparatus including a gill box supported by a support for movement toward and from sliver drafting rolls positioned adjacent the output end of the gill box. The gill box has a lower section and an upper section pivotally connected to the lower section for angular movement relative thereto. The textile apparatus further includes a means which is selectively operable to either move the entire gill box relative to the drafting rolls to adjust the ratc distance between the output end of the gill box and the nip of the sliver drafting rolls or to move the upper section of the gill box relative to the lower section. The means comprises first and second manually operable locking means for locking the upper section to the lower section and the gill box to the support, respectively, and single actuating mechanism operatively connected with the gill box for moving either the gill box itself or the upper section relative to the lower section depending upon which locking means is unlocked.

The present invention relates to textile apparatus, and more particularly to a textile apparatus which includes a gill box having a lower section and an upper section movable relative thereto between closed and open positions and sliver drafting rolls located adjacent the input and output ends of the gill box, respectively.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved textile apparatus for handling sliver and in which a single mechanism is provided for selectively moving either the gill box relative to the sliver drafting rolls to adjust the distance between the output end of the gill box and the sliver drafting rolls or the upper section of the gill box relative to the lower section to provide access to the interior of the gill box.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved textile apparatus, as defined in the preceding object, and wherein the mechanism includes first and second locking means for respectively locking the entire gill box and the upper section against movement and an actuating means operatively connected with the upper section of the gill box and which is effective to move either the upper section or the entire gill box depending upon which locking means is unlocked.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved textile apparatus in which the actuating means includes a rack and pinion drive arrangement.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved textile apparatus, as defined in the next preceding object, and in which the pinion is fixed on a rotatably supported shaft and which, is adapted to be rotated by hand crank or wheel, and in which the rack is connected at one end with the upper section of the gill box at a location spaced from its pivotal connection with the lower section thereof and is slidably received at its other end within a guide member journaled on a shaft and straddling the pinion gear for maintaining 3,460,205 Patented Aug. 12, 1969 the rack in meshed engagement with the pinion while permitting the same to be reciprocated in an arcuate path.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved textile apparatus of the character referred to above and in which the mechanism for selectively moving the upper section of the gill box or the entire gill box is of a relatively simple, durable and economical construction and reliable in operation.

The present invention also resides in certain novel constructions and arrangement of parts, and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification, and in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a textile apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of part of the textile apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows 44;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the textile apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken approximately along line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of part of the textile apparatus shown in FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are enlarged fragmentary side elevational views of part of the textile apparatus shown in FIG. 2, but with parts shown in different positions.

Although the provisions of the present invention are usable in various types of kinds apparatuses, they are especially useful in textile apparatuses for operating on sliver, and for the purposes of illustration are herein shown as being embodied in a textile apparatus 10 (see FIG. 1).

The textile apparatus 10, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a frame or support means B and a gill box C supported on the frame B and through which sliver S is advanced. The sliver S is advanced by a pair of rotatable feed rolls 13, 14 suitably supported by the frame B adjacent the input end 15 of the gill box C and plurality of rotatable drafting rolls 16, 17, 18 suitably supported by the frame B adjacent the output end 19 of the gill box C.

The plurality of drafting rolls 16-13 located at the output end of the gill box are adapted to be driven by a suitable drive means (not hsown) so as to have a surface speed preferably greater than the surface speed of the feed rolls 13, 14 in order to pull the sliver S through the gill box C and effect a drafting thereof. Rolls 16, 17 are preferably of the same diameter and roll 18 is a draft roll of a smaller diameter and defines a nip with the roll 16. The sliver S being advanced through the textile apparatus 10 is combed in the gill box C by faller bars therein (not shown) in order to align the fibers forming the sliver and the sliver is then delivered from the apparatus 10 to a suitable balling head or container (not shown) which receives the sliver, and in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The gill box C comprises a lower section or head 20 and an upper section or head 21 pivotally connected to the lower section 20 for movement relative thereto between closed and open positions. The upper section 21 of the gill box C is pivotally connected to the lower section 20 adjacent the input end 15 to enable the upper section 21 to be moved to an open position to provide access to the interior of the gill box for various Well known reasons, such as cleaning and changing the faller bars. To this end, the lower section 20 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced, rearwardly and upwardly extending ears or lugs 22, 23 on the input end 15 thereof and the upper section 21 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced, rearwardly and downwardly extending arms 24, 26 on the input end thereof. The arms 24 and 26 are respectively pivotally connected intermediate their ends to the ears 22, 23 by pivot pins 28 and 30 having a common axis.

In accordance with the provisions of the present invention a novel mechanism D is provided for selectively either moving the upper section 21 of the gill box C relative to the lower section 20 or for linearly moving the entire gill box C toward and away from the nip of the drafting rolls 16 and 17 to adjust the distance between this nip and the output end 19 of the gill box C. The adjustment of the gill box C towards and from the drafting rolls 16 and 17 is commonly referred to as the reach or ratch adjustment on the textile machine. The reach or ratch distance is defined as the distance between the nip of the drafting rolls 16 and 17 and the output end 19 of the gill box C. The various reasons for adjusting this distance are well known, but primarily it is to facilitate the handling of sliver having difierent length fibers.

The novel mechanism D includes a first locking means 32 for locking the upper section 21 of the gill box C against movement relative to the lower section 20, a locking means 34 for looking or clamping the gill box C against movement relative to the drafting rolls 16 and 17 and single or common actuating means 35 operatively connected with the gill box C. The actuating means 35, when actuated, is operable to eifect movement of the upper section of the gill box 21 relative to the lower section 20 when the locking means 32 is unlocked and the locking means 34 is locked and effects movement of the entire gill box C relative to the drafting rolls 16, 17 when the locking means 32 is locked and the locking means 34 is unlocked.

The locking means 32 comprises a pair of U-shaped boss portions 36, 37 respectively secured or formed integral with the upper and lower sections 21 and 20 of the gil box C. The U-shaped boss portions define a vertically extending slot 38 which is open on the side thereof remote the adjacent side of the gill box C. The lower boss portion 37 also has an opening 39 extending transversely of the slot 38 and in which a pivot pin 40 is received. Threadably connected with a transverse threaded opening in the pivot pin 40 is one end of a bolt 41. The bolt 41 is movable about the axis of the pin 40 between a first or locked position, as shown by solid lines position in FIG. 3, in which it extends vertically and can be tightened to clampingly engage the upper surface 42 of the boss portion 36 to lock the upper section 21 of the gill box against movement relative to the lower section 20 and a second or unlocked position, as shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 3, in which it is horizontally disposed to permit movement of the upper section 21 relative to the lower section 20. Due to the threaded connection between the bolt 41 and the pivot pin 40, the bolt 41 can be tightened to clampingly engage the upper surface 42 of the boss 36 when in its locked position and can readily be backed off to permit it to be pivoted to its unlocked position.

The locking means 34 for locking the gill box C against movement relative to the frame B comprises a pair of bolts 44 carried by flange portions 45 on the opposite sides of the lower section 20 of the gill box C and which extend through elongated slots 46 in flange portions 47 of the frame B. The slots 46 extend perpendicular to the axes of the rolls 16-18 and the bolts 44 at their lower ends are threadably secured to nuts 48. By loosening the bolts 44 and/or nuts 48, the gill box C can be slidably moved on the frame B toward and from the feeding rolls 16 and 17 to adjust the ratch distance between the rolls and the output end of the gill box C. The gill box C is locked in its adjusted position by retightening the bolts 44 and/or nuts 48. A suitable calibrated scale 49 (FIG. 4) carried by the flange 47 of the frame B and a pointer 50 carried by the gill box C are provided to indicate the ratch distance.

The common actuating means 35 for selectively moving either the upper section 21 of the gill box C or for moving the entire gill box C relative to the feed rolls 16- 18 comprises a reciprocably movable actuating member 52 operatively connected with the upper section 21 of the gill box C and a rotatable drive means, designated generally by reference numeral 54, which is adapted to be manually rotated to reciprocate the actuating member 52. The actuating member 52 is here shown as being a rack having one end fixed to a shaft 56 intermediate and preferably at the mid point between its opposite ends. The shaft 56 is rotatably connected at its opposite ends to the lower ends of the arms 24 and 26 of the upper section 21 of the gill box C, which ends are spaced from the pivot axis of the pivot pins 28 and 30. The rack 52 is provided with gear teeth 58 along its lower side which are in meshed engagement with a pinion gear 62 of the rotatable drive means 54.

The pinion gear 62 is fixed to a shaft 64 which is rotatably supported at its opposite ends by bearings 65 and 66 carried by a pair of lateral spaced vertically extending support portions 67 and 68 of a support member 69 bolted or otherwise secured to the upper portion of the frame B between the feed rolls 13, 14 and the gill box C. The shaft 64 has a square shaped end portion 70 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) which projects outwardly or forwardly of the vertically extending support portion 67 of the support member 69, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, and to which a suitable crank Wheel or hand wheel 71 is adapted to be connected for the purpose of rotating the shaft 64.

When it is desired to move the upper section 21 of the gill box C to an open position, the bolt 41 of the locking means 32 is moved to its unlocked position and the shaft 64 is rotated by the crank 71 in the direction of the arrow 72, as shown in FIG. 2, 5 or 8. When the shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow 72, the rack 52 is caused to move toward the left. Movement of the rack 52 toward the left causes the lower ends of the arms 24 and 26 of the upper section 21 of the gill box C to be moved about the axis of the pivot pins 28 and 30 in the direction of the arrow 74 and the upper section 21 of the gill box C to be moved away from the lower section 20 from its closed position toward an open position, as shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 5.

To hold and lock the upper section 21 in the open position to which it has been moved to prevent the same from falling or moving to its closed position when the crank 71 for turning the shaft 64 is released, a releasable locking means is provided. The releasable locking means 80 is effective to automatically lock and hold the upper section 21 of the gill box C in the open position to which it has been moved irrespective of the extent to which it has been moved relative to the lower section 20. The releasable locking means 80 is a ratchet mechanism comprising a ratchet pin or wheel 82 fixed to the shaft 64 adjacent the vertically extending support portion '67 and a pawl 84 pivotally connected at one end by a pivot pin 86 to the vertically extending support portion 67 of the support member 69 for movement about an axis extending parallel to the shaft 64. The pawl 84 at its other end 88 is shaped complementary with and is adapted to be received in the recess space between adjacent teeth 89 on the ratchet pinion 82 (see FIG. 10). The pawl 84 is disposed above and to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5,

of the axis of rotation of the ratchet wheel or pinion 82, and thus, is biased or maintained in engagement with the teeth 89 on the ratchet pin 82 by gravity.

When the shaft 64 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 72 to move the upper section 21 of the gill box C toward an open position the ratchet pin 82 is rotated in the same direction. As the ratchet pinion is rotated in this direction, the respective teeth 89 thereof, will cause the pawl 84 to be deflected in an upward direction as viewed in FIG. 9, until the upper section 21 of the gill box C has been moved to the desired open position at which time the end 88 of the pawl 84 will be disposed within the recess between the two adjacently located teeth. When the end 88 of the pawl 84 is located between two of the adjacent teeth, the shaft 64 cannot rotate in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow 90 and the upper section 21 is held and locked in the open position to which it has been moved.

To enable the upper section 21 of the gill box C to be returned to its closed position in which it rests upon or engages the lower section 20, the pawl 84 must be moved upwardly and out of engagement of the ratchet teeth, as shown in FIG. 9. When the pawl 84 is in the position shown in FIG. 9, the upper section 21 due to its weight will move toward its closed position. As the upper section moves toward the closed position, the lower portion of the arms 24 and 26 thereof move in the direction of the arrows 91, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 8, which in turn causes the rack 52 to be moved toward the right. Movement of the rack toward the right causes the pinion 62, shaft 64, and crank 71 to be rotated in the direction of the arrow 90. The operator by grasping the crank 71 can slowly allow the upper section 21 to be returned to its closed position.

The ratchet mechanism 80 is preferably disposed within a housing or box-like enclosure 94 having an opening 95 at its forward side, as viewed in FIG. 2, through which the shaft 64 projects to provide access to the pawl 84 to enable it to be moved to its released position. The housing 94 also prevents the operator from accidentally bumping or engaging the pawl 84 so that it cannot be accidentally moved to its release position and cause the upper section 21 of the gill box C to drop down onto the lower section 20 and cause possible breakage of the parts.

To maintain the rack 52 in engagement with the pinion gear 62, a guide means 100 for guiding movement of the rack 52 is provided. The guide means 100 comprises a U- shaped member having legs 102 and 103 rotatably journaled on bearings 104 and 105 on the shaft '64 and straddling the pinion gear 62. The support member 69 is provided with a recess 106 intermediate its support portions 67 and 68 in which the guide means 100 is disposed. The rack 52 is disposed between the pinion 62 and the bottom wall 107 of the U-shaped guide member and has its upper side in sliding engagement with the bottom wall 107. The U-shaped guide member is positioned on the shaft 64 between the left side wall 108 of recess 106 and a collar 110 fixed to the shaft 64 by a set screw 111.

The provision of the U-shaped guide member which is rotatably journaled on the shaft 64 maintains the rack 52 in meshed engagement with the pinion gear 62 and permits the rack 52 to pivot about the axis of the shaft 64 so that when it is reciprocated it can move in an arcuate path about the axis of the pivot pins 28, 30.

When it is desired to adjust the ratch distance between the output end of the gill box C and the nip of the drafting rolls 16, 17, the operator will loosen bolts 44 and/ or nuts 48 so as to enable the gill box C to slide relative to the frame B toward and from the drafting rolls 16, 17 and move the bolts 41 to their locking position so that the upper section 21 of the gill box C is clamped to the lower section 20. If the ratch distance is to be decreased, i.e., the gill box C moved toward the nip of the drafting rolls 16, 17 the operator will move the pawl 86 to its inoperative position as shown in FIG. 9, and rotate the shaft 64 via the hand crank 71 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5. Rotation of the shaft 64 in this direction will cause the pinion gear 62 to be rotated in a clockwise direction which in turn will cause the rack 52 to be moved toward the right, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5. Movement of the rack in this direction will cause the entire gill box C, since the upper and lower sections are clamped together, to be moved toward the right. This movement of the gill box C toward the right takes place, since the latterally extending arms 24, 26 cannot pivot about the pivot axis of the pins 28, 30. When the gill box C has been moved toward the right to the desired adjusted distance, as indicated by the pointer 50 and calibrated scale 49, the operator will tighten down the bolts 44 to clamp the gill box C in its adjusted position. The drive means (not shown) for moving the faller bars (not shown) in the gill box C is suitably arranged so as to permit movement of the gill box relative to the frame B.

If adjustment of the ratch distance between the output end and the gill box C and the drafting rolls 16, 17 is to be increased, the operator would merely rotate the shafts 64 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, which in turn would cause the rack 52 to be moved toward the left and hence, the gill box C to be moved toward the left.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that a single actuating means 35 has been provided for moving both the upper section 21 of the gill box C relative to the lower section 20 and for adjusting the ratch distance the output end of the gill box C and the nip of the drafting rolls 16, 17. Heretofore, separate mechanisms have been provided, one mechanism for efiecting adjustment of the feeding rolls toward and from the gill box and another mechanism for effecting movement of the upper section of the gill box relative to the lower section. By being able to effect both of these movements by a single actuating means not only simplifies the structure of the textile apparatus, but also provides for an economy of manufacture, since less parts are needed.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the hereinbefore enumerated objects and others have been accomplished and that a new and improved textile apparatus has been provided. While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the construction shown and that it is my intention to cover hereby all adaptations, modifications and changes therein which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A textile apparatus for handling sliver comprising, a gill 'box having a sliver input end and a sliver output end, a plurality of sliver drafting rolls defining a nip therebetween and postioned adjacent the output end of said gill box, support means for supporting said sliver drafting rolls and said gill box for limited movement toward and from said drafting rolls to enable the distance between the output end of the gill box and said nip of said rolls to be adjusted, first locking means for selectively locking said gill box against movement relative to said drafting rolls, said gill box having a lower section and an upper section pivotally connected to the lower section for angular movement relative thereto between open and closed positions, second locking means for selectively locking said upper section against movement relative to said lower section, and an actuating means operatively connected with the upper section of said gill box, said actuating means being actuatable in opposite directions for effecting movement of said upper section of said gill box toward and from said lower section of said gill box when said second locking means is unlocked and said gill box is locked against movement relative to the drafting rolls and effecting movement of said gill box toward and from said drafting rolls when said first locking means is unlocked and said second locking means holds said upper section against movement.

2. A textile apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes an actuating member connected with the upper section of said gill box and which is movable in opposite directions, and a drive means operatively connected with the actuating member for moving the same in opposite directions.

3. A textile apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuating member is a toothed rack and said drive means includes a pinion gear in meshed engagement with the rack for moving the latter in opposite directions, said pinion gear being fixed to a rotatable shaft having an end portion which is adapted to cooperably receive a manually operable member for rotating the shaft pinion.

4. A textile apparatus as defined in claim 3 and including a guide means for guiding the movement of the rack and for maintaining the same in meshed engagement with the pinion.

5. A textile apparatus as defined in claim -1 wherein said first locking means comprises releasable clamping means for clamping said gill box to said support means.

6. A textile apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second locking comprises releasable clamping means for clamping said upper section to said lower section.

7. A textile apparatus as defined in claim 1 and including a releasable locking means which is effective to automatically lock and hold the upper section on the open position to which it is moved and which is releasable to permit the upper section to be returned to its closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,130,880 3/1915 Blackwood 19-261 XR 2,289,870 7/1942 .Berker 19129 3,376,611 4/1968 Selby 19-129 FOREIGN PATENTS 940,385 10/1963 Great Britain.

615,110 1/1961 Italy. 7

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner 

